What You Don't Know
by Shuddereye
Summary: Taking place in the beginning of the second game... the Delta Squad is being stalked, and protected by a mysterious and stealthy stranger. Who is this strange and dangerously talented COG? What does he want with the Delta Squad? And why has he targeted Marcus Fenix? *Hey, this is my 1st ever fanfic so there will be a lot of editing and stuff. Please be considerate and patient.
1. Chapter 1:Mysterious Soldier

"Humans are no strangers to war. After all we've been fighting for as long as we can remember. War is all we know. In the past, we fought for imullsion, we fought for country, we fought for freedom. But all that changed after e-day. For fifteen years, we've been fighting for our very survival against inhuman, genocidal monsters. But it is a fight we cannot continue. Humanity faces extinction! Unless we end this war, now!" The mysterious soldier in the back seat of a COG helicopter heard the roar of the crowd in the background of Hoffman's speech. It was inspirational, even the soldier himself felt a little adrenaline in listening to it. Today was the day that he went undercover as a gear and fight along side the humans of Sierra. Though nervousness racked him to his bones, confidence gripped him in a tight hug. He was sure he was ready for this.

To the left of his helicopter, is the one and only delta squad.

He fixed his eyes on the one he guessed was Marcus Phoenix. Furrowed brows, jaw set, and icy blue eyes fixated on nothing in general... It was no doubt. He fit the description like a puzzle piece. They were headed for Landown. A place right above the locust hive. Or at least they guessed.

Several of the helicopters landed near the rigs. Including the soldier's own. The soldier scanned the rig Delta squad headed toward. Rig 314... The number showed up on his scanner. Hidden behind his filtered mask. He reprogrammed his Rig ride from e91 to D77. A rig that traveled not to far from 314. The soldier made a beeline for his rig. He fumbled within his gear. Damn was it heavy. He struggled up the ladder.

The solider felt his face turn red with embarrassment as a the stares of amused and chuckling Gears bored into him. Finally, as he managed to poke his head up over the top of the rig platform, he was greeting by a surprisingly kind face. The hand of a surprisingly large gear outstretched to grab his and pull him up.

"A trainee, huh?" He chuckled. "I don't blame you. My first days in that armor I could hardly walk, let alone climb a latter."

The strange soldier looked down bashfully.

"I'm Tai." The gear laughed and once again offered his hand.

The solider hesitated, then offered shook Tai's hand in a warm greeting. He stuttered, thinking of a name to reply in. "Zachary." His voice came disguised through the mask. It sounded like an auto tuned recording.

Tai opened his eyes in surprise. "Did the mic in your mask bust?" He asked.

Zachary shook his head. "I was born mute." He decided it was best if the others thought it was a disability, and not an armor malfunction, so that no techy would try and fix his "specially made" filter mask. Not only that, but conversation would be hard to make with a person who wasn't born for small talk.

"Oh." Tai tensed. "My apologies. It's just that mind translators are rare nowadays."

And it was regretfully true. Even though Zachary wasn't really disabled, many Gears were. Who couldn't use specialized communicators were send in normally on first fleets for human shields. It was publicly sick... But even those who went into war with the best of equipment somehow prepared themselves for their own demise.

It was about twenty more seconds before every other Assault Derrick in the fleet was fully equipped, crewed, and reinforced with a new and shiny turret. He gulped and loaded his gun. Ready for anything.

"MORTARS!" The distant shout of a panicked Gear sent Zachary into a frenzy. Whipping his rifle into the air, he death gripped the trigger. Sending a backwards rain of bullets into the atmosphere.

Tai placed a hand on his shoulder. "Stay calm and stay low. I've got the turret, you just protect the rig from any locusts interested in hijacking."

Zachary nodded and crouched beside the guard rail of the Derrick deck. Gripping his weapon for dear life. Normally he was a calm, cool, and collected killer. But something about being in the center of the chaos and confusion of war made him feel helpless and weak.

The second round of Mortars hurled right at the center of the rig. He tensed and braced for impact. Dru-dru-dru-dru-dru! Zach poked his head over the rail to see that Tai's operating the turret, had literally saved him. And in that instant, he once again felt hope and confidence, knowing that someone like Tai had his back. And what perfect timing it was.

"BRUMAK!" Tai exclaimed in alarm. But Zach was already ready. He rigged his rifle with a concentrated energy bullet... Then shot as if he were another panicked Gear.

On contact, the Brumak reared, then let out a roar as the bullet expended inside the beast's skin and finally exploded. The other riders of rig D77 first jumped, then gave a quick cheer. But it was not the time for cheering, there were more enemies to come.

••••

He sighed with relief as the first sight of Landown rose on the horizon. He finally had a break from all the panic and chaos. Plopping on the floor ass first, he laid flat on the deck of the rig he now knew was nicknamed Lola.

Tickatickaticatica... Zachary felt his ears twitch. He tensed and sat up. "LANDMINES!" He shrieked. "TICKER-"

He couldn't get the words out. The sudden hiss of a ticker lighting fire was the only warning the other Gears got before the entire rig blew two feet from the ground and collapsed on itself. Zach landed flat on his back in the ally a few feet away from the demolished rig.

He gagged, losing his wind. And looked about, he tried to get up but his lower body was completely numb. He gathered just about enough energy to lift his head and see Tai emerging from the rubble of his downed crew and rig. He forced a sigh of relief and let himself go limp. Falling into a disturbingly silent sleep.


	2. Chapter 2:The Brotherhood

Chapter 2

By the time he came to, the delta rig and Tai were long gone. Zachary pulled himself to his feet. As he walked down the paths of rubble and waist, the line up of ticker bodies showed him the way toward his fellow gears. Not only was he faster than the average gear, but he didn't have the dozens of fleets of locusts to deal with on the way there. It wasn't long before the scent of freshly fired gunpowder and spilled blood filled the air. And the farther her traveled, the stronger the scent got. It wasn't long before the path of bodies lead him to a long dark tunnel. No doubt about it. Those were fresh Rig tracks. And the distant sound of a roaring Brumak, had signaled he had arrived just in time.

It seemed as though it literally rained flames as three motar rounds poured down on the struggling Brumak. Zachary couldn't help but pity the creature. The only reason the poor, dumb animal was being hurt was because the locusts were cruel enough to use its body size as a weapon. He had learned that brumaks were peaceful by nature... But just like the Pitbulls back home; they're just as mean as they're treated.

He shook his head as the Brumak finally gave in and went limp. Maneuvering around its body, he hopped on the Rig behind 314 and once again let his guard down to relax. It was so strange, the ride to the Landown cemetery almost seemed like a blur. The other COG fleets of King Ravens, Armadillos, and Centaurs seemed to pile in so gradually. And the more there were that stood at his side, the stronger he thought of this Bloodsoaked Brotherhood. They not only rose from the ashes, but the ashes that they burned themselves. However scarred and battered they seemed, the brutes of Seirra had never made such an impression on him. For once... These people were not separate nations, but one whole species. It was just so unfortunate they had discovered that this close to extinction.

The drills were already loaded with gears and set at full power. Zachary had to grab a grindlift with another rookie at a compromise line. Right in between where their two teams were coordinated to land. It was righteously tactical, but sick that only the weakest of the gears, such as the rookies, amputees, and the mutes were given the rest of the teams' left overs.

As Zachary paced toward his grindlift... A chill went down his spine. He turned his head and starring right into him, was the icy cold eyes of Marcus Phoenix himself. Zach's monitor on his mask zoomed in on the face o his target. Marcus's eyes were more narrowed than usual. More a potential glare than a suspicious look over. But as soon as Marcus saw him staring right back at him, he shifted up his armor and turned away. Entering his shiny new grindlift.

"Yo, Marcus!" His best friend, more like brother, Dominic Santiago tipped up his chin. Signaling a alert of attention. "What's up?" He peered in the direction in which Marcus had been staring.

"...nothin." Marcus grumbled. Turning and pulling down the safety bar. Dominic just shook his head and sighed, then let the safety bar close down on his shoulders.

"Well h-hi!" Said a stuttering and nervous rook. Struggling to holster his weapon in the tiny grindlift.

Zach raised an eyebrow and waved. "Maybe you should step out of the grindlift before you put your weapon away..." He offered. The disguise on his voice making him sound dry and unfriendly. "You could damage your weapon..."

The rook straightened and back stepped out of the lift, holstering his sniper. Then turned and shook hands with Zach. "Ben Carmine. You?"

"Ahh..." He had to think a moment, "Zachary. And before you ask, I'm mute. This mask has a vocal communicator."

"Long name." Ben joked. "Can I just call you Zach for short?" Although he couldn't see the smile behind Ben's mask, Zach could tell that he was smiling. And what a heartwarming smile it was. It was relaxing knowing that at least the rookies could offer one another a little positive emotional support.

Zachary chuckled and nodded in response, stepping into the grindlift. Pulling down the safety bar, he noticed Bed had done the same. The door shut. The only light left in the lift was out of the tiny circular window rimmed with a white grime. Suddenly Ben gasped and gripped his safety bar for dear life.

"What?" Zachary peaked out the window in which Ben was staring so fearfully at. The sight racked and rattled him to his core. Much like a skinny, mutated locust, there he stood. The bitterly familiar, and disgustingly grey face of the enemy he was particularly trying to destroy. Skorge.


	3. Chapter 3: Timely Demise

**Hey! I'd like to apologize; my last chapters were a little rusty... Like I said I'm new and I really would like some feedback on how to improve my story to be more readable. Later as the story goes along I might be adding "M" content but for now I'm trying to keep it younger-reader friendly... however I read shit way more dirty than this stuff when I was like twelve... **

**I realize my story chapters aren't very long or fast-paced or exactly that interesting because in all technicality its the second game's campaign with another character in the background, and from another POV. PLEASE bear with me on this I PROMISE! The twists in this story are going to knock your socks off. And if you're not wearing socks...then I guess you'll just lose your feet. ;3**

* * *

**"HOLEY SHIT!" Ben gasped out** of fear. Or was it pure terror that cracked his voice? Zachary couldn't tell over the amount of panic he felt inside him. Skorge had just sawed a centaur in HALF! This guy was a hell of a lot stronger than Zachary's crew leader said he would be; or perhaps it was that fancy staff he carried around with him. It didn't matter either way; he was going after Tai with all he had, and no matter what he did... Zach couldn't save him.

"GET THESE STUPID BARS OFF OF ME!" Zach shouted so loud within his mask that static came up out of the speakers of his voice disguiser.

"N-no way!" Ben said. "Even if I wanted to be in danger, those bars are locked! We're stuck." The Grindlift hissed and shook as it was lowered onto the ground.

"NO!" Zachary roared in protest. "I CAN'T LET THEM PROCESS TAI!" and with that sudden burst of rage, fear and adrenalin... he gripped the bars at the base, and ripped them from the bracket. But it was too late. Tai and the driver of 314 were face first on the ground. possibly dead, or possibly out cold. He couldn't tell. "TAI!" Zachary made an attempt to grab the door and pry it open. But the Grindlift had made contact with solid earth and began drilling down. Ben tried his best to pin Zach's flailing body to the ground so he wouldn't snap his neck on the walls as the Grindlift violently shook the poor boy into a stage of shock. Zach couldn't even cry out, though he wanted to... seeing as every time he tried to take in a breath, the grindlift hit another gap or buildup in the rocks, knocking the air right out of him. Ben closed his eyes, it looked as though his new found ally in the team was being torn from the inside out. He was beginning to regret going into battle.

With a final and large thud, the Grindlift touched down at approximately the right spot. Ben sighed with relief as the bars gave and the door opened. Ben stepped over Zach's motionless body, and then dragged him out of the Grindlift and tried not to gag. Zach's limbs and torso were twisted and gnarled in unnatural and sickening angles. However he somehow managed to keep alive because a soft, pained wheeze occasionally escaped his lungs as he breathed.

"Oh god..." Ben whimpered. "Oh god!" he stepped back and closed his eyes as they began to water. He didn't even know the guy, but seeing him so hurt and crippled, and with that mask on? He reminded him of what his brother Anthony might've looked like in his last battle. Although Ben couldn't see his eyes through the blue lenses of his mask, he could tell that Zach was looking right at him, unable to say a word. He looked so lonely... without the company of a real friend or family member to actually mourn his death. Was Zachary missing his mother, or father? Or his brothers if he had any? What if he had a girlfriend? Or a daughter or son? would they just stand there and stare just like Ben was doing now or would they Cry at his side, pray for him, or try to mend his broken bones? What was Zach thinking? What do you think of when you're on your deathbed and no words can escape your lips?

"CARMINE!" Sergeant's voice rang in from his radio. "What the hell is going on?!"

''I-It's the kid I was partnered with on the Grindlift, Sir!" Ben squeaked in fear, holding back a cry of anguish. " He seemed to know Tai a-and… when he saw Tai getting attacked by that big screaming guy… He ripped off his safety bars in the Grindlift."

"He WHAT?!"

"I'm not lying, Sarge! When he couldn't get out before the Grindlift dug down. I-It shuck him so much that…All of his bones… H-he looks like a pretzel, Sarge."

"A pretzel? You mean he's-" A short pause. "Is he still alive?" Sergeant's voice lowered, not his earlier alarmed and angry tone, but a voice almost fatherly, firm, but sympathetic.

Ben gulped. The only sign of life from Zach's twisted body was the sudden and shallow lift and collapse of his chest. "Just barely, Sarge. But I couldn't carry him. Not in here! A-And not in his condition!"

"I'm not asking you to." Sergeant grumbled softly from the other end of the line, "You gotta shoot em'..."

"Marcus..." Dom furrowed his brows at his partner hearing him give the rook such a gruesome order. He agreed with Marcus undoubtedly, the other rookie Carmine was with couldn't hardly move, let alone make it through the hollow. And only the most highly ranked gears could have armor that repaired broken bones. The kid was better off put out of his misery. But Dominic Santiago was once a father, and he couldn't help but felt a stab of guilt as Carmine responded.

"But Sarge! I-I couldn't! He's helpless- one of our own!" Carmine cried, flabbergasted at the Sergeant's orders "He needs a doctor-"

"Exactly," Came Fenix's response, "there ain't any doctors down here, rook. Look around you. There's just more shit for you and that poor kid to get into. If you don't kill him the locusts will, and a lot less mercifully. Shoot him in the head. That's an order."

There was a long pause on Carmine's line. Shortly followed by a weak whimper and an, "oh god..." and then the shot of a pistol.

Marcus sighed grudgingly, _'Poor kid' _he thought. "Good job, Carmine..." he almost murmured. "Now join up with us as soon as_ you can."_

Ben put a hard, determined expression on his face in an effort to hold back his tears _'I'm SO sorry, Zachary...'_ he thought as he turned away from the body and uncovered his eyes. He hadn't even looked at the body, or even looked while he shot. Quickly switching from his pistol to his rifle, he slowly began to walk away toward the rest of the delta squad. He was walking away from his very first kill.

* * *

"GET A SNIPER ON THOSE TURRETS!" Marcus shouted to half of the Kappa Squad as he ducked down behind a sand bag and reloaded. They were getting hammered. There weren't many locusts but three, all operating a turret. And the tricky bastards send out just enough tickers and retches to knock the gears out of cover and into the path of the bullets. He never thought that he would ever say this but, he needed Carmine to get his scrawny ass over there ASAP. The rook couldn't reload if his life depended on it. And it kind of did. He was horrible with a rifle, couldn't melee worth shit, but damn that kid was a good sniper.

A shaken and rather husky gear of the Kappa Squad not to far away from Marcus fumbled to switch to a rifle. He got to his knees and poked his head above the safety of the sand bags. Marcus groaned to himself. This gear was the melee type, good with a chainsaw rifle and even better with a bat; a hell of a lot like Marcus's good friend Cole. But if this guy really was like Cole, he couldn't use a Sniper if the bullets were heat detected. Hesitantly, the large gear put his eye to the scope and curled his finger around the trigger and the all of the sudden-

**BANG!**

The first turret operator's head went up in several clumps of ooze and crimson slime, finally putting a halt on the shower of bullets to the cover of the three to the right of them. Marcus stared at the large gear, who was as equally surprised as him. The gear hadn't made an attempt to reload; he hadn't even pulled the trigger. Was it Carmine? Marcus looked around for the blue glow of a COG suit out on a ledge somewhere on the perimeters of the battlefield. Not a single hint of an ally hiding anywhere, except for the explosions of the other heads of the two other turret operators.

"WHERE THE HELL IS THAT COMING FROM," Marcus found the confidence to stand up, the three turrets now no longer able to drill him. He looked about and spotted nothing, just as the other gears did.

There was the distinct _Thud_ coming from the ledge right behind him. Marcus turned around to spot nothing but a distortion in the walls in the shape of a human. The shape lifted an arm and made a movement to its abdomen. There was a click, and then the shape faded into a soldier in COG gear. That was the same soldier that he spotted eying him before getting into the Grindlift.

The soldier saluted. "Sorry for the surprise, sir." His voice came out of his mask as if it was static and auto tuned. "The turrets were going to wipe you out if the wretches didn't."

"What's your name rook?" The Sergeant lowered his head, furrowed his brows, and narrowed his icy eyes, leaning toward the soldier at a downward angle. He was showing all of the signs of territorial aggression, looking down on his enemy; using his own name as if it were and insult, the low growl from the bottom of Marcus's throat singed his voice with a distinctively noticeable threat.

"Zachary Jinx, sir!" The solider announced confidently straightening up his attention as he did so.

"Jinx, huh?" Marcus grumbled. "Sounds like bullshit to me... JACK!" on command a blue eyed Hoverbot released the same camouflage tech used in Zachary's advanced armor and appeared floating over Fenix's head. "Run a scan on the rook's COG tag."

Zachary lifted his head and confidently showed the approaching Hoverbot his Gear-shaped charm around his neck. A blue scanner ran over it. then a screen dropped and the face of a beautiful blonde.

"Everything checks out Marcus..." Anya said reading a paper that, apparently, had just been faxed to her through Jack's signals. "But His crew was wiped out on touchdown. And he's a rookie so..."

"OH NO!" Marcus interrupted. "I've already got one rookie on my squad! I'm not taking in another one, damn it!"

Zach scoffed, finally gathering enough nerve to snap back at the grouchy ball of muscle. "I don't even want to team up with this lazy bastard. I'll end up having to think for him anyway." he was indirectly speaking to Anya, but leaning up toward, and glaring right into the cold stare of Sergeant Fenix.

A tall gear with relatively tan skin and a bit of brown scruff, who hadn't been standing to far away from Marcus, stepped forward and opened his mouth to snap a crude remark at the rookie, but was silenced by his apparent friend. Marcus turned and looked into Zachary's eyes with a stare of cold, blood thirsty, yet intrigued eyes.

"Kid..." Marcus grinned, almost with malice, "Welcome to Delta."


	4. Chapter 4: The Bug and the Ball

**Alright! A semi-decent amount of views but for Christ's sake, people! REVIEW! Don't expect me to satisfy your needs when you cant tell me what the hell it is you people want? More action? Romance? A DOUBLE CROSSER?! Come on guys! Give me something to work with. I may be working along the lines of the game but I'm as sure as hell stretching the truth!**

**PLEASE review! I need some opinions, some inspiration, or maybe just some encoragement.**

* * *

Marcus stumbled back as a giant pile-o-shit locust decided to wack him upside the jaw with his gun as he was reloading a mortar round. Marcus snarled and looked up at the locust, who had just realized it had made a mistake. Leaning back, Fenix swept the locust's feet out from under it, and as the locust fell he drop kicked it's face in, crushing whatever brains it actually had. "Dumbass locusts... peice a shit melee..." he grumbled to himself, then lifted up the mortar cannon and fired.

"Bout' time!" Domanic growled, releasing his finger from the trigger, "I was getting bored of the same damn group." A rain of rich, thick fire lit up the dim and, slightly creepy, cavern. For a short moment Domanic had thought he had seen a carved doorway behind where the locusts were stationed and firing. The lights faded and then it looked just like another curvey rock. He shook his head and continued down the path.

"WAHH!" A scream of surprise escaped Zachary's throat as he began running back into the group in fear.

"What is it?!" Marcus snarled in alarm. Every senior soldier readied their guns, while the rookies huddled together. They were now three groups morphed into one as scheduled. The three groups' paths were meant to meet temporarily before approaching what was assumed to be the left flank of the source of the locust horde.

"Bu-bu-bu-bu..." Zach pointed in the direction they were headed. "BUG!"

Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. As did the rest of the group, even the rookies. The agrivated Sergeant didn't even look for anything, he just walked forward and kept on until he stopped, looking down cautiously at a red glowing sphere-cylander and poking it with the tip of his gun. "It's just a fruit." he grumbled and looked back as the trembling new recruit of the Delta Squad. Everyone in the group suddenly froze and looked melon-eyed right at the stiff-standing Sergeant. They looked like if they even dared to breathe their eyes would be gauged out or something. Suddenly the sound of something like a bear's stomach growling rumbled, followed by the sound of shifting rocks.

"BUUUG!" Zach's voice box squeaked with static as he went kamakaze physco and showered whatever the hell it was with a rain of bullets and lead. And in their panic, so did the rest of the rookies.

Domanic screamed at every one of them. "SOMEONE WHO IS **ON OUR SIDE** IS STANDING RIGHT INFRONT OF THE TARGET YOU IDIOTS!" The rookies stopped firing, but it wasn't because of Domanic's command, but because of panic.

"IT DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE GUNFIRE!" One of them cried. "RETREAT!" Scremed another.

Zach shreiked from his voicebox, and the high-pitched sound of microphone feedback made everyone cringe. "IT'S GOING TO ATTACK THE SERGEANT!"

"What?" Fenix finally withdrew his eyes from the chaotic scene of petrefied rooks, and looked behind him. There was the slight glimpse of the pink, fleshy bottom of some kind of bug, and then the numbing feeling of an enourmous ammount of weight being brought down on his head.

* * *

"Marcus?" A highpitched, childish voice asked. It was distant, but echoing toward him. "I didn't mean to! Are you alright!? I promise it was accident!"

"Ugh..." Marcus groaned, rubbing his head and sitting up. "What did I get hit with...?"

"Dad's favorite baseball..." Marcus now looked at the owner of the voice, a young girl; blonde, and disturbingly familiar. She was about 5 or 6, had a thin coat of brown dirt on her face, and was wearing a red cap with the logo scraped off. Her eyes were hypnotizingly large and a deep dark brown that sucked him in like a pool of quicksand. He couldn't look away because he had seen those eyes before. He KNEW this girl. "I didn't hit it right with the bat when you pitched it to me and... it kind of hit you in the head. I'm REALLY sorry. Please don't tell on me!"

Marcus pressed his palm to his forehead and felt a nasty knot right above the center of his face. He looked as his palm and checked for blood. Not much. It was just a bruise. "Fine." he snorted, "But you owe me."

_What the hell?! Why would I say that? Who the hell is this girl?!_ Screamed at himself in his head. Something was off. Very off. Was he dreaming? He DID hit his head right? Back in the hollow... _**The hollow! MY TROUPS!**_He tried to get up and run, but he was to dizzy, and he felt very weak and weighed down.

"Where did the ball go?" Marcus asked the strange girl, "Our dad'll have a fit if we lose it..."

**_Our _**_dad?! _What the hell was going on?! And who was this little girl who's supposed to have the same father as him? When they were at LEAST 30 years appart in age?!

"I dunno." The girl shrugged and looked about. "I was to busy trying to wake you up from fainting."

"I didn't FAINT." Marcus declared out of pride. "I was simply sleep-standing."

"Then why did you fall over?"

"Because the ground needed a hug." Marcus snickered and poked the girl in the shoulder, pushing her back a bit, and then stood up. His foot splashed down in a puddle and got his socks and shoes all wet. "Uhg! EW WET SOCKS!" he shook his foot and looked down at the damage done to his new shoes. A bad feeling crept up Marcus's spine. He knew he would get in trouble. He had just gotten these shoes and he would be getting a real good beating if his father found out he had ruined them. As he bent over to wipe of his footware, something in the puddle caught his eye. His reflection. There, staring back at him, was no longer the hardened prisoner, no longer the trigger happy war veteran and well-respected Sergeant, and no longer the icy eyes narrowed in pain and distrust... but there stood an innocent, fightened little boy with neet, thick black hair and a white tee. His eyes wern't narrow or pained. His muscles didn't bulge out and throb and draw attention like he was some kind of freak. There stood a normal, happy boy who just so happened to trust his sister with a baseball bat to much. There stood the Marcus Fenix who once existed far to long ago.


End file.
